Attractions between NJ and Yellowstone
My wife and I are first time RV'ers driving from NJ to Yellowstone with 2 kids (11 & 9) this August. What are some of the attractions not to be missed along the way? We're thinking of doing day stop...
Forum Discussion
My late wife was from Bergen County -- Westwood. She moved to Wyoming in 1992 and loved, loved, loved it! She had never before been west of Iowa and liked to relate how she'd moved to Wyoming because she'd heard there was a good-looking cowboy behind every tree. "Now imagine how I felt when I finally got here and there were no trees!"
She said she cried when she first saw the Missouri River crossing on I-90. She said it was the most beautiful sight she'd ever witnessed. And she marveled at our clear skies, both day and night -- clouds during the day and the stars at night. One cold winter day she came running into the house, grabbed me and tugged me outside. "What's that?!" she shrieked as she pointed to the moon. I looked at her quizzically and asked if she meant the moon. "It can't be the moon in the middle of the day! Can it?" Yes, in Wyoming it certainly can be. ;) I hope you enjoy your trip to the Mountain West.
If you have the time, try to spend at least a couple days in the SD Badlands and Black Hills. It's a great area for families and kids the ages of yours. Highlights would be Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Custer State Park Wildlife Loop (bring carrots for the wild burros), Jewel Cave (especially on a rainy day), Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, and Devils Tower in the Wyoming Black Hills.
Other privately owned attractions that my family enjoyed include Bear Country USA, Reptile Gardens, gold panning (Lead or Hill City - can't recall which) and Trout Haven (fishing for the kids). Oh, and you've gotta stop at the granddaddy of all tourist traps, Wall Drug. It's unique. It's so bad, it's good! Find it just outside the west gate of Badlands National Monument in the tiny town of Wall.
Those are just a few of the most popular spots, but there are dozens more. It's the destination for roughly half the vacationers headed across I-90 in SD. Most of the others spend a day or two seeing a few highlights in the Hills, then continue on to Yellowstone. Naturally, those like you who are coming from a long distance want to see Yellowstone, whereas visitors from nearby are more apt to head back home after a week in the Black Hills.
I suggest you let your kids Google for attractions in the Black Hills and each pick one they want to see. In fact, let them do it for the whole route. They'll start looking forward to the trip and probably study a little about what they're going to see before you ever leave the house. It'll make it more fun and a better learning experience.
She said she cried when she first saw the Missouri River crossing on I-90. She said it was the most beautiful sight she'd ever witnessed. And she marveled at our clear skies, both day and night -- clouds during the day and the stars at night. One cold winter day she came running into the house, grabbed me and tugged me outside. "What's that?!" she shrieked as she pointed to the moon. I looked at her quizzically and asked if she meant the moon. "It can't be the moon in the middle of the day! Can it?" Yes, in Wyoming it certainly can be. ;) I hope you enjoy your trip to the Mountain West.
If you have the time, try to spend at least a couple days in the SD Badlands and Black Hills. It's a great area for families and kids the ages of yours. Highlights would be Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Custer State Park Wildlife Loop (bring carrots for the wild burros), Jewel Cave (especially on a rainy day), Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, and Devils Tower in the Wyoming Black Hills.
Other privately owned attractions that my family enjoyed include Bear Country USA, Reptile Gardens, gold panning (Lead or Hill City - can't recall which) and Trout Haven (fishing for the kids). Oh, and you've gotta stop at the granddaddy of all tourist traps, Wall Drug. It's unique. It's so bad, it's good! Find it just outside the west gate of Badlands National Monument in the tiny town of Wall.
Those are just a few of the most popular spots, but there are dozens more. It's the destination for roughly half the vacationers headed across I-90 in SD. Most of the others spend a day or two seeing a few highlights in the Hills, then continue on to Yellowstone. Naturally, those like you who are coming from a long distance want to see Yellowstone, whereas visitors from nearby are more apt to head back home after a week in the Black Hills.
I suggest you let your kids Google for attractions in the Black Hills and each pick one they want to see. In fact, let them do it for the whole route. They'll start looking forward to the trip and probably study a little about what they're going to see before you ever leave the house. It'll make it more fun and a better learning experience.
